Stress Remedies

Anything that causes a change in your life whether good or bad, causes stress.
Even imagined change is stress. (Imagining changes is what we call "worrying".) Holidays like Thanksgiving ,Christmas and New Years can add emotional and situational stress that is aggravated by anxiety and unrealistically high expectations.

A relaxed state of mind and spirit in integral to how you feel physically.
Stress releases all kind of nasty chemical reactions into your bloodstream
that worsen physical pain and cause chronic disease symptoms to worsen. Even
thinking about major life changes cause stress, imagining change is called
'worrying'. Our atavistic fight-or-flight response served us well when being
chased by mammoths, but isn't much use when stuck in a traffic jam. When
stress and emotions are running high, worries about family, work or financial
problems seem to mount up, just when you can handle it the least, your body
seems to pile on. Then one day, you finally connect the dots and see that you
are literally worrying yourself sick. Take time to chill out, break the cycle
of crazy and blend your own stress buster herbal teas.

How to reduce stress

Helping the body deal with chronic stress is the very definition of an adaptogenic herb, and ginseng may be the most effective herb in this category. Eleuthero restores overstressed adrenal glands, working wonders for people who are chronically stressed.

Use stevia in tea blends to eliminate the need for sugar, which can be draining on nerves.

Phytochemicals in Ashwagandha seem
to mimic gamma-amino-butytric acid (GABA), a naturally occurring substance
in the brain whose role is to decrease the effect of stimuli that reach the
brain.

Lavenders soothing, sedating
phytochemicals readily absorb into the skin, including the sensitive membranes
inside the nose. That's why even the scent of lavender tends to calm and relax. Sandalwood, frankincense,
and lemon are all considered to
be very calming and grounding, helping us to achieve the meditative conductive
to reducing stress.

Among its many medicinal benefits, licorice is considered an adrenal tonic, in particular, it increases production of the very chemicals that aid in the body's recovery from chronic anxiety and stress.

Looking for something you can read offline? Join our mailing list and get a free copy of Methods for Using Herbs. This free handbook includes instructions on how to make basic herbal preparations at home. It covers making herbal teas, herb infused oils and balms, tinctures, and more.

** Information on the traditional uses and properties of herbs are provided on this site is for educational use only, and is not intended as medical advice. Every attempt has been made for accuracy, but none is guaranteed. Many traditional uses and properties of herbs have not been validated by the FDA. If you have any serious health concerns, you should always check with your health care practitioner before self-administering herbs. **